Mission Unaccomplished
Nor will it ever be. If the mission is to civilize a nation, to haul them out of the Dark Ages that their geography, their ethnic heritage and their religion has parked them in. Afghanistan is a country that the future passed by. Having looked deeply into the dark soul of the country's primitive determination to bypass social civility in favour of a degraded anti-humanism, the future simply went elsewhere.
The country's future, such as it is, and such as it will be, will remain mired in stark fundamentalist ignorance and brutal abuse along with tribal antipathies expressing themselves in anger and hatred and violence. The laws of the country permit a death sentence if an insult to Islam is perceived, or if an individual makes a personal decision to abandon Islam and adopt another religion.
Women are aware they have few rights and fewer privileges in that patriarchal society that demeans the very presence of women among men, holding them as personal possessions who dare not endanger themselves by resisting the will of men. Girls are destined to become old before their time, given in marriage to old men, carrying babies and sweeping the hearth.
And dare anyone, anywhere in the world deconsecrate what is sacred to Allah, by insulting the Prophet Mohammed, or defiling a Koran, they will be destined for death. If the offender cannot be reached physically to absorb his deserved mortal punishment, why then any substitute will do.
And so it is that yet again symbols of Western oppression and degradation of sacred Islam have been taught another lesson. That fervent Muslims who worship their divine maker and his beloved emissary are more than willing to slaughter the offenders to correct the insult to the honour of Islam.
In Afthanistan, in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, recognized by Western powers as a moderate place prepared to shoulder its self-protective responsibilities as well as its civic institutional responsibilities, a peaceful demonstration against the burning of a Koran by an ignorant U.S. preacher reflected the nature of passion-ravaged minds.
Where a passionately religion-inspired mob overran a United Nations compound under the protection of the Afghan army and Afghanistan's national police who were forewarned of trouble brewing, and managed to avenge themselves by killing seven international UN staffers. People sent there representing the compassion of the international community to tend to the needs of Afghans.
And the Afghans reciprocated as is their wont.
The country's future, such as it is, and such as it will be, will remain mired in stark fundamentalist ignorance and brutal abuse along with tribal antipathies expressing themselves in anger and hatred and violence. The laws of the country permit a death sentence if an insult to Islam is perceived, or if an individual makes a personal decision to abandon Islam and adopt another religion.
Women are aware they have few rights and fewer privileges in that patriarchal society that demeans the very presence of women among men, holding them as personal possessions who dare not endanger themselves by resisting the will of men. Girls are destined to become old before their time, given in marriage to old men, carrying babies and sweeping the hearth.
And dare anyone, anywhere in the world deconsecrate what is sacred to Allah, by insulting the Prophet Mohammed, or defiling a Koran, they will be destined for death. If the offender cannot be reached physically to absorb his deserved mortal punishment, why then any substitute will do.
And so it is that yet again symbols of Western oppression and degradation of sacred Islam have been taught another lesson. That fervent Muslims who worship their divine maker and his beloved emissary are more than willing to slaughter the offenders to correct the insult to the honour of Islam.
In Afthanistan, in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, recognized by Western powers as a moderate place prepared to shoulder its self-protective responsibilities as well as its civic institutional responsibilities, a peaceful demonstration against the burning of a Koran by an ignorant U.S. preacher reflected the nature of passion-ravaged minds.
Where a passionately religion-inspired mob overran a United Nations compound under the protection of the Afghan army and Afghanistan's national police who were forewarned of trouble brewing, and managed to avenge themselves by killing seven international UN staffers. People sent there representing the compassion of the international community to tend to the needs of Afghans.
And the Afghans reciprocated as is their wont.
Labels: Afghanistan, Culture, Islam, Justice
posted by Pieface | 2:27 PM
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